Month: July 2015

So today I was online and I saw guys talking of how they got to where they are….. I figured I should do mine… My blog has larger space.. At least more than the twittersphere…

I was told that, “Its better to have done something than to have not attempted and spend the rest of your life wondering what would have happened if you would have done it”. When I got to high school, I was put in a music class and I was awful… I had really bad grades but my teacher the late Mr. David Zalo told me to try harder.. He saw something I couldn’t… So I persisted..he gave us instruments and told us to pick… I wanted the sax but at that time it was in a really bad state so I settled for the trombone.

When it came to picking our subjects I stuck with it. I had finally understood what music meant to me…the feeling it gave me..the endless possibilities for its numerous melodies. By chance the school got new instruments and I got hold of an alto sax. Over tution I taught myself how to play.. How to read the score of atleast two scales… With my teacher having passed away, his brilliant wife who is also a great music teacher took over. She pushed us. Harder and harder to be better each day. Sometimes she would allocate her double lessons for instrument practice.

My dad got me a used soprano sax after school. It was difficult to play and more technical since its so small. As instrumentalists out here most of us play for churches or teach in schools. This helps us broaden our talents.. Playing alongside Joseph Hellon blew my mind.. Simply the man is a genius….The way the audience would and still responds to his talent…. Ok I may go off on a tangent but he is extremely talented. I moved from simply classical sax to jazz and funk sax. I started playing for churches and grew even better… I have played for a few artists…it is difficult and I

have grown better. The best thing is playing for Sage Chemutai… Very talented… Instruments and vocals… She is inspiring and I realized what I am missing.. I want to make my own songs… Sing, arrange, compose… The whole 9 yards. It will be difficult but it is what I want to do.

I want to turn on the radio and hear my music…. Sit in a cafe and hear people discuss my songs… Have my lyrics tug at the heartstrings of people. Good music gives you a great feeling. It conveys its message to your inner being.. Not just your mind.

I come from a family of academics…. Guys read at home… Alot! I spend my time thinking about adding two or more notes in rhythm and counterpoint and feeling its result. Thereby I am a bit like the black sheep of the family.. Music isnt a hobby for me… I take it seriously…I work better and faster in a relaxed environment thus I am really not a fan of sitting in the office… I prefer to work from home… I would not let anything compromise my music practice times… If you do something you enjoy, you end up doing it better than a person just going the the motions of a job. For anyone doing any kind of art, ask them… Its pretty hard. Sometimes you want to down your tools, rip your canvas, break you guitar, burn it even. Being a musician is hard. We listen, practice and rearrange music for long periods of time and we don’t mind. Its because we enjoy what we do.

Follow your dreams because you never know the outcome. I would rather try and fail than not try at all. You know what you want…I have a very well known cousin. More than he knows he inspires me and so many others. He taught himself to produce and with his friends have had their music acknowledged worldwide. They are in a constant state of wanting to better themselves… Writing and rewriting songs… Changing beats… Adjusting melodies….As a person who has and is on this road, I try to take every chance to learn from him and the others… I call them my big brothers… They know how hard it is and how to impact the market… How to compose and arrange better. I know what I want and I won’t let anything or anyone stop me.

Question is, are you willing to put your nuts(metaphorically) on the line to put yourself out there. It will be difficult and you may doubt yourself but if you believe you can do it, go ahead. I had doubts but someone special reminded me of my core belief…

Your dreams are valid.

(credits to Quaint Photography.. They took this at Choices Pub).

PS: Sage’s new song Mistakes is out… Link is 👉👉👉 ▶ Mistakes by Sage Chemutai